This Day Sucks
by CassieAggie
Summary: This Day Sucks! [Reid was shot trying to save Dr Barton]


**This Day Sucks!**

_[Reid was shot trying to save Dr Barton]_

"Hey, can I come in?"

"Of course."

JJ entered Spencer's hospital room; there was a nurse just cleaning away some supplies. She said "I'll give you folks a few minutes. The surgeon will be in to talk to you shortly Dr Reid."

"Thank you nurse."

Spencer made himself as comfortable as he could on the bed and JJ pulled up a chair. "What have they told you?"

Reid winced a little at the pain in his leg, "They're going to clean up the site where the bullet went in. It went straight through so it won't be a huge undertaking. They'll fit me with some kind of brace at some point to support the knee and I'll be out of action for a few weeks and probably on crutches I imagine... But I can be back at work in a few days. Hey, thanks for riding with me in the ambulance."

"Of course... Does it hurt much?"

"It's fine. JJ, how is Hotch?"

"Spence, just deal with this for now... the others are with Hotch and they'll look out for him."

"I know, but I need to know that he's okay. Was it really Foyet?"

"I'm afraid so. He was waiting inside Hotch's apartment when he got home. Emily and Garcia tracked him down after Foyet dropped him off here... it was definitely him, he had Morgan's credentials."

"And Haley and Jack, they're okay?"

"They're fine. She's taking Jack to see Hotch but protocol would suggest that they'll need to go into protective custody..."

"So after everything he's been through, now he loses his family as well... it's just not fair JJ."

"No, it isn't. Spence, you know what, Haley is strong... she'll get through this and so will Hotch."

Spencer nodded, but he wasn't sure. Jack meant the world to Hotch and he knew how hard it was going to be for him, to have his son taken away, for God's knows how long. His focus shifted for a moment; "What about Dr Barton, how is he?"

"Trying to make sense of it all. Things could have turned out a lot differently for him, and for Jeffrey. You saved Dr Barton's life."

"I did my job."

"You gave us all quite a scare. Emily was beside herself when she heard the gun blast."

"I can imagine; she already had enough to deal with. I didn't really have much time to think; once I realised that Dr Barton was the real target... it all just happened so quickly."

Spencer recoiled at the image of Mr Meyers standing there on the lawn with the gun. "What is it?" JJ asked with concern.

"I begged him not to do it... but his mind was made up. He had nothing else to lose."

"Spence, Mr Meyers made a choice, you had to take him down. By all accounts, you did everything you could. Dr Barton told us how you insisted on him helping Mr Meyers."

"It wouldn't have served any purpose to have let him die; something had to be salvaged out of that mess."

"Well you did a brave and noble thing. He's in surgery and he'll make it."

"To what end? He's going to be punished for the rest of his life... he lost Jason, his son, and now his life is over too."

"You can't dwell on all of that Spence. Dr Barton and his son are safe and you made that happen. Mr Meyers will be dealt with in the courts, that's not up to us... to you."

"I know, but it is all so senseless. I'm here, Dr Barton and Jeffrey will never be the same again. Mr Meyers' family have lost their child and he'll be incarcerated... and, and Hotch is where he is. This day just sucks!"

"I know... Just try and stay focussed on the positive stuff. Hey, you wanna hear something funny. Garcia is already combing through her cookie recipes for Hotch! You know he's gonna hate the attention."

Spence managed a chuckle, but the realisation that even Garcia's cookies wouldn't help with what Hotch was about to face hit home.

The door swung open and a team of 3 medical staff came in. With her cue to leave, JJ stood up. "I'll be here when you're out of surgery. You're gonna be fine."

She kissed his forehead tenderly. "Yeah, I'll be fine... it's Morgan's job to kick down doors anyhow."

JJ smiled warmly and squeezed his hand. She waved to him from the door and left him in the hands of his doctors.

When Spencer eventually awoke from his procedure he was greeted with Tom Barton at the foot of his bed.

"Dr Barton, hello."

"Dr Reid; I hope you don't mind me stopping by."

"No. "

"I just wanted to check in on you and make sure you're okay, and getting the best care available. How's the leg?"

"Okay, I guess. How is your son, Jeffrey? He had quite an ordeal."

"He's fine, thanks to you and your team." Dr Barton went to stand by Spencer. "Dr Reid, I don't know how to thank you... you saved my life and you made sure my boy was unharmed."

"Dr Barton, we all did our job... I'm just glad to know that Jeffrey is okay and that you're fine."

Barton nodded. "We'll get there... Dr Reid, you knew... when I had asked you earlier... that it would turn out like this. You knew Patrick Meyers would seek out suicide by cop; I'm just sorry you had to go through that."

"It's never easy Dr Barton, but it's part of what we do. We're armed with the profile of the people we're going after and we have to know what direction to take. It was unfortunate that Mr Meyers didn't see any other way out... but you probably saved his life. I hear that he's in surgery and that he'll recover."

"Yes, I checked earlier, he made it through surgery. There are 2 people dead because of him but I can't help but feel for the man..."

"That's the difficult part, reconciling your emotions. He had suffered a traumatic loss and he reacted; unfortunately it was at your expense and your son's."

"I couldn't imagine going through what he did... I lost my wife 5 years ago and that was hard enough... but to lose my son - I don't know how I would react. "

"I doubt any of us would know... Dr Barton, Mr Meyers lost Jason in traumatic circumstances and he felt compelled to end his suffering, that's what he wanted when he raised his gun at you. His need to die and be with his son was greater than his need to harm you; he just didn't know how to separate the two. "

Barton nodded in agreement, "I understand that. Well, Dr Reid - again, thank you, for everything. If there is anything you need, please... anything."

"Thank you Dr Barton. You just go be with your son and try and put this day behind you."

Barton just looked at Spencer with sad and tear-stained eyes; it would be quite some time before he would be able to put this day truly behind him. "Take care Dr Reid."

Barton left.

'This. Day. Really. Sucks.' Spencer said out loud. He too would have to put this day behind him; compared to what Patrick Meyers would face and indeed, what Hotch was about to go through - his day paled into insignificance.


End file.
